By David Tanis
- Total Time
- 1 hour, plus 3 hours' curing
- Rating
- 4(130)
- Notes
- Read community notes
Codfish cakes are traditionally made with salt cod, which needs a day or two of soaking to soften and desalinate the salted fish. This version uses lightly cured fresh cod instead, and a bright mix of green herbs. These cakes are not floured or breaded — instead, they are gently fried in olive oil until golden.
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Ingredients
Yield:4 to 6 servings
- 1½pounds cod, scrod or haddock fillet
- Salt and pepper
- A few thyme sprigs
- 2bay leaves
- 1cup bread crumbs, soaked 10 minutes in 1 cup milk and squeezed dry
- ½teaspoon lemon zest
- 3tablespoons chopped parsley
- 3tablespoons chopped mint
- 1cup chopped cilantro, leaves and tender stems
- 4scallions, white and light green parts, very thinly sliced
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- 4ounces Spanish chorizo, diced (optional)
- 4cups thinly sliced sweet red peppers (such as Corno di Toro, Cubanelle, Jimmy Nardello or red bell), from 4 medium peppers
- 2cups thinly sliced onion, from 2 medium onions
- Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
- Pinch of pimentón
- 3garlic cloves, minced
- Lemon wedges, for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
336 calories; 13 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 7 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 25 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 6 grams sugars; 29 grams protein; 674 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
Season cod fillet all over with salt and pepper, then wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or overnight. Rinse briefly with cold water and pat dry with paper towels.
Step
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Fill a saucepan with water. Add thyme and bay leaves and bring to a boil. Carefully slip fish into the water and turn off heat. Wait 2 minutes and test with a fork; the fish should be just done. Drain fish and let cool, then transfer to a mixing bowl and flake.
Step
3
Add bread crumbs, lemon zest, parsley, mint, cilantro and scallions to fish. Mix with a wooden spoon until well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Step
4
Form mixture into 12 balls, flatten them slightly, and arrange on a baking sheet in a single layer. Wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes, or until ready to cook, up to 4 hours in advance. (Mixture may seem loose and crumbly, but the cakes will hold together when cooked.)
Step
5
Put 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large wide skillet over medium-high heat. Add chorizo, if using, and let sizzle for a minute, then add peppers and onions, red pepper flakes, pimentón and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and stir to coat. Let mixture cook, stirring frequently, until onions and peppers soften and begin to brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Set pan aside. Reheat just before serving.
Step
6
To cook fish cakes, pour about ¼ inch olive oil in a wide cast-iron skillet over medium heat. When it is hot, carefully place fish cakes in the pan in one layer without crowding (work in batches if necessary). Cook until browned on first side, about 3 minutes. Turn cakes over and cook for 2 minutes more, until browned. Serve with the stewed peppers and onions, and lemon wedges.
Ratings
4
out of 5
130
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Private Notes
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Cooking Notes
JosieB
Made this as written, and the mixture would not stick together at all. I ended up adding two eggs and a cup extra dry bread crumbs to bind. From there on out this was perfect. The finished product was divine. The herbs and zest were bright, and the flakes of freshly poached cod were perfect. Some of us ate the cakes on buns like burgers, others just ate them solo. I will make this recipe again and again - fresh, light, delicious and easy!
Pups
Dear Mr. Tanis,
If you made this with salt cod, would you soak it in several changes of water and then simmer it briefly?
Robert
A wonderful recipe capable of changing the concept of fishcakes. Rather than fish bound by potatoes or egg, you are biting into chunks of fish, crusted on the outside and complemented by fresh herbs, lemon zest and spring onions. Superb. The only caution is to note that these are very fragile. David is right that they old together once cooked but they can also easily break apart. I would plate them directly from the frying pan; using an intermediary serving platter would be a high-wire act.
Alice
I thought that ingredients in recipes were to be given as weights. I agree that the type of breadcrumb (fresh or dried) should have been specified. Why pat the fish dry after curing if you're putting them in boiling water?
Stephen
This is the biggest gloppy disaster EVER inspired by NYT Cooking. Listen to JosieB below. It's fish hash without extra binder. Obviously not for the home cook. David Tanis a better cook than all of us!
mjan
These should be fresh bread crumbs, not fine, seasoned dry crumbs.
Alfredo
In Puerto Rican cuisine, dried codfish is favored over fresh codfish. We know codfish fritters as "bacalaitos". Boiling the codfish and then changing the water just one time shortens the desalinating process. As for the batter we love it as garlicky as possible.
Cheryl
The pepper/onion mix was awesome, we're going to try it with sausage for sandwiches. The cod cake mixture was very tasty, as evidenced by how quickly the teenagers Hoovered it up, but I agree with others, as careful as I was, I couldn't get these to stick together. We'll try again, but I'm going the egg and more breadcrumb route next time.
Weezie Fitzhugh
This did not stick together AT ALL! I've made crab cakes forever and always use some sort of binder. I refrigerated for a few hours before, but they totally fell apart once in the skillet. I let the mess fry for a bit, then scooped it out and drained it really well and served it over the peppers with some rice. It was delicious, but a hot mess. If I make it again, I'll add an egg and some dry breadcrumbs to the mix.
Karen
I have made great fish cakes. The trick is not to cook the fish at all! Blend your greenery in the processor and then add big chunks of fish - short pulses. Shape, refridgerate and fry.
Kate
I had so wanted this to work. I thought that by adding an egg, less milk to the breadcrumbs, and chilling the mixture would let things hold together. But it was a mess.
The good news is that it's very tasty and the texture is great. I ended up letting it have its way and made hash which was easy to wedge out of the skillet. The peppers and onions were excellent (I served with rice).
I'd make this again, as hash, and maybe add an egg or two on top. But I give up on individual cakes.
the_beezelet
Don’t sub panko for bread crumbs
Barbara
Used panko bread crumbs, 1 c to 1 c milk as called for, but added 2 beaten eggs. Yes, fragile, but delicious, lovely change from fish cakes overwhelmed by capers and veggies.
the_beezelet
Loved this. The fish cakes were fragile but managed to keep them together. Would make more of the pepper/onion combo next time as it was really delicious.
dee from New Orleans
Nice combination of herbs. Mine did hold together because I read what others had to say. Yes, quite fragile. And, I did add an egg.I served them with some Mexican sour cream, another Sam Sifton recipe. Thought it was pretty good with the fish. Use quite a bit of oil when frying and get pan hot!
quaasam
Very nice. I followed the fellow bloggers advice and added an egg to the mixture. Placed it the fridge for about 30 minutes to firm up. The ppersand onions mix is delicious. Will do it again.
RachelC
This recipe is delicious; I am actually making these fishcakes tonight for the second time in a month! One word of advice: I tried frying the first few in a cast iron pan and they fell apart. I then did a batch in a really good non-stick pan with barely any oil and they cooked up perfectly.
SB of SH in NY
Loved the peppers as a side dish! Was making bifteki, and wanted to make colorful veg with peppers I had on hand and remembered this recipe. Beautiful with a little bit of heat, nice side to bifteki (with parsley, mint, feta and lemon) and yellow rice. Quick to make, too!
caul soup
Should have read the notes. Ridiculous, these do NOT hold together.Fix it!
d saxton
This recipe is a disaster. When on a budget and end up throwing fish away because this recipe doesn't work for the home cook as written, really gets one irritated.
Ignore the cast iron skillet. Use a non stick pan. Buy extra cod just in case.
lee76
when the nutritional info is given e.g.(4 servings)203 cal. is that for one serving or all four?
Penelopek
oops. I didn't cook this recipe, it was Sam Sifton's "Cod Cakes".
works wonderfully prepared ahead of time.
James Cryer
I used smoked haddock for this. The smoked haddock is salted and lightly smoked, so I did not need to salt the fish as in step one. It was wonderful, thank-you for the recipe.
MitchY
I made this, trusted it would stick together after chilling, it did not. I used fresh bread crumbs. We ate it anyway, on top of the pepper/onion mix and called it Fish Crumble; I have a friend who says no matter what happens just say that's what you intended. JosieB's addition make sense.
quaasam
I did it with salt cod , previously unsalted for 24 hrs. Other ingredients were as per recipe. Added 1 large eggs to the mixture and prepared as suggested. Great recipe. Salt cod brings it to another level.
Cheryl
The pepper/onion mix was awesome, we're going to try it with sausage for sandwiches. The cod cake mixture was very tasty, as evidenced by how quickly the teenagers Hoovered it up, but I agree with others, as careful as I was, I couldn't get these to stick together. We'll try again, but I'm going the egg and more breadcrumb route next time.
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